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As defined by the Mental Health Commission of Canada Commission de la santé mentale du Canada in its 'Toolkit for e-Mental Health Implementation', “the term e-mental health refers to the use of the internet and other electronic communication technologies to deliver mental health information and care. E-mental health services are an effective and complementary option to traditional face-to-face mental health support.”

This technologoy is evolving rapidly, and is extolled for its potential to extend reach, increase access, and improve quality of care. It can include instant messaging and video-based counselling services (also known as telehealth or telepsychiatry), consumer information portals, online support groups, forums and social networks, mobile phone applications, online assessments or diagnostic tools, blogs and podcasts, therapeutic gaming programs, robotic simulation, and virtual reality systems.

While Canadians seem keen on these kinds of solutions for easier health care access, they aren’t as widespread as they could be, especially for mental health.

The Toolkit states that, “Provincial and territorial jurisdictions have improved e-health resources for health providers. But mental health care practitioners continue to identify common barriers around the provision of e-mental health, including: - procedural and administrative hurdles- demanding workloads for clinicians- patient concerns regarding privacy of personal data- lack of evidence surrounding cost effectiveness- lack of leadership- lack of e-mental health legislation or regulation- lack of interoperability in connecting with current health system

“Overcoming these barriers is a challenge for financially strained mental health care systems that face increasing demand and an aging clinical workforce.”

Imagine this… an RX from your GP recommends you take two spider plants and call her in the morning!

You visited your doctor complaining of loneliness… of feeling isolated from your grown children and friends who are increasingly frail and less mobile. You’ve lost your appetite and you’re not sleeping well. You expect a prescription or maybe a referral, but instead she talks about the healing powers of plants and how they can help foster happiness while you foster them! Hard to believe?

We know that houseplants increase oxygen levels and purify air. Recent research shows they can also relieve stress, encourage creativity, and boost healing. Hence, why the Cornbrook Medical Practice in Manchester, England is giving patients herbs, vegetables, and potted plants to help relieve anxiety, depression, and loneliness. As the plants mature, patients transfer them to the clinic’s communal garden. The idea is that the patients will then continue with gardening and engage in other social activities.

The clinic reports that, “having something to care for brings so many benefits to people,” especially those who do not have gardens or pets. “The plant is then a reason to come back to the surgery and get involved in all the other activities in our garden and make new friends.”

Backed by the city’s health commissioners, this project is the first of its kind in England.

For more on the links between nature and mental health join as at our Community Mental Health Summit May 12-14 in Kelowna. www.freshoutlookfoundation.org

Today is World Suicide Prevention Day, so we thought it appropriate to share info about the five-year Roots of Hope suicide prevention project recently launched by the Mental Health Commission of Canada Commission de la santé mentale du Canada (MHCC).

Each year, 4,000 people in Canada take their own lives… that’s 11 every day! Suicide is the second leading cause of death among youth age 15-34. And up to 135 people are affected by one suicide loss, between 15 and 30 people severely.

The Roots of Hope model provides structure around which individual communities can tailor suicide prevention efforts to meet their unique needs. To date, eight communities have developed and implemented strategies and activities in each of the five pillars, including: - Specialized supports (e.g., peer support, workplace interventions)- Training and networks (e.g., for healthcare providers, physicians, teachers)- Public awareness campaigns (e.g., brochures, social media, and collaboration with media)- Means safety (e.g., building barriers on bridges known for suicide attempts)- Research (e.g., monitoring and evaluating the project)

Data gathered from the partner communities will funnel back to the project’s principal investigator, Dr. Brian Mishara, who will evaluate the program’s effectiveness. By the conclusion of the five-year project, guidelines and tools will be available to support any community wishing to engage in a similar effort.

CMHC president and CEO says, "The concept of Roots of Hope is one of strength and community spirit — the best way to conquer the stigma and shame that have shadowed suicide for far too long. The investments made by the participating provinces, and the supporting federal dollars, send the message that suicide prevention is no longer an item at the bottom of the collective agenda.”

For more information about suicide and prevention, join us at the STRAIGHT UP! Talk About Suicide & Prevention event November 21st in Lake Country. www.freshoutlookfoundation.org

Tor Broughton and his family are passionately committed to building awareness about transgender issues in the Okanagan and beyond.

Tor is a 14-year-old transgender boy who believes that by telling his story he will make it easier for other transgender individuals to express themselves. His accomplishments include speaking to students and educators, walking with politicians in pride parades, and thanking Prime Minister Trudeau at a town hall meeting in Kelowna for passing Bill C16, which embeds transgender rights in the Canadian Constitution.

Although his speaking out has triggered online bigotry, Tor continues to share his message of openness and acceptance. He says the haters have not only deepened his determination to build awareness, they have also strengthened his bond with mom and dad (Carrie and Wayne) and his brother Casey. He says, “it’s team Broughton all the way!”

An important goal is education about how to best communicate with and about people in the transgender community. “Etiquette is important,” says Carrie. “It goes to the heart of being respectful and inclusive.”

Menno Versteeg, a 20-year veteran of the music industry who now works with Toronto-based Rocky Mountain Records (RMR), saw a therapist for the first time a few years ago. He had long bought into the belief that artists must suffer in silence to be optimally creative… mental health be damned!

After years of addiction, anxiety, and the resulting bad behaviours, Versteeg decided to get help. But with his meagre pay as a touring musician he couldn’t afford treatment. Then his wife, Annie Murphy, landed a role on the CBC series Schitt’s Creek and Versteeg finally had the means to seek support. The results were miraculous; he says, “This stuff actually works!”

So, he started exploring ways to help other struggling musicians. And, according to a recent study conducted by the East Coast Music Association (ECMA), there are many!

Of the 50 Atlantic Canada musicians surveyed, 40 percent said they had been diagnosed with a mental-health disorder at some point in their life, 26 per cent had attempted suicide, and more than half said they live below the poverty line. The link between poverty and mental health challenges is well known.

In response, Versteeg vowed that when RMR finally turned a profit, the company would set an industry example by helping its more than 25 artists get the help they need. “You go to the doctor to get a checkup for your body,” he explains. “Why getting a checkup for your head isn’t seen as just as important blows my mind.”

RMR’s new fund gives each artist access to $1,500 per year for mental health services. Versteeg knows that’s not much money, but it’s a start, and he looks forward to seeing the program grow.

For info about how other businesses are mobilizing workplace mental health, join us at the Community Mental Health Summit in Kelowna, BC May 12-14. www.freshoutlookfoundation.org

During a Summit keynote for a session entitled MOBILIZING SYSTEMIC CHANGE, award-winning journalist and author Anna Mehler Paperny will share her experience with mental illness and the systemic change needed to help others affected by serious depression and suicidality.

And according to acclaimed American War author Omar El Akkad, it’s a story you won’t want to miss! “Anna’s the best journalist I know. Her story about the mental healthcare system as seen through her own experiences is an act of monumental bravery.”

After a suicide attempt in her early twenties, Anna resolved to put her reporter's skills to use to get to know her “enemy,” setting off on a journey to understand her condition, the dizzying array of medical treatments on offer, and a medical profession also in search of answers.

To that end, she interviewed fellow depression sufferers, leading medical experts across Canada and the U.S. (from family practitioners to psychiatrists to neurologists to brain-mapping pioneers), and others dabbling in strange hypotheses.

The resulting book, Hello I Want to Die Please Fix Me, charts the way depression wrecks so many lives. It also maps competing schools of therapy, pharmacology, cutting-edge medicine, the pill-popping pitfalls of long-term treatment, the glaring unknowns, and the institutional shortcomings faced by both patients and practitioners.

Both funny and serious as she shares her equally heartwarming and heart wrenching story, Anna will track her quest for knowledge and the myriad ways we treat (and fail to treat) the disease that accounts for more years swallowed up by disability than any other in the world.

“The buzz” is the sound of genuine human engagement. All FOF events are designed to encourage cross-pollination of insights and ideas through robust conversations among participants. At large events such as our Building SustainABLE Communities (BSC) conferences, that buzz in the room — what sounds like total chaos — actually echoes the hum of communal reflection. An outward coming together of participants’ inward thoughts and passions.

At FOF, our passion is building a buzz that instigates communication and inspires collaboration among people invested in more sustainable communities. In this case, the buzz will centre around mental health and how it can enhance communities’ social, cultural, environmental, and economic well-being.

To that end, we envision a gathering where people from all walks of life – with diverse insights, ideas, passions, personalities, and influences – explore mental health challenges, successes, and opportunities from a holistic perspective with a focus on collaborative action.

Using proven program design strategies from its seven highly acclaimed BSC conferences, we will incorporate activities that inform and inspire people from all sectors, ages, cultures, and genders about mental health at the individual, family, workplace, and community scales.

Please join us May 12-14 in Kelowna, BC. Stay tuned for program and registration details! www.freshoutlookfoundation.org

Not surprisingly, research shows that our communities are increasingly impacted by mental health issues and their effects on citizens where they live, work, learn, and/or play. In fact, the statistics are staggering!

At least half of Canadians over 40 have experienced or will develop a mental illness. About 800,000 British Columbians currently struggle with mental health challenges or addictions. And more than 85,000 children and youth in BC have been diagnosed with mental disorders, with only one third of them getting the treatment they need.

The Mental Health Commission of Canada Commission de la santé mentale du Canada (MHCC) reports that, if nothing changes to address these crises, there will be almost 9 million people living with mental illness by 2040.

And what about the numbers from an economic perspective? The financial burden of mental illness in Canada is estimated at more than $55 billion per year. In any given week, at least 500,000 Canadians are unable to work because of mental health challenges. Astonishingly, MHCC estimates that the cost of mental illness will grow more than six times over the next thirty years to a whopping $306 billion.

The word “culture” means different things to different people at different times in their lives. It could represent your ethnic identity, your social beliefs and behaviours, your workplace environment, or your obsession with the arts.

Understanding culture is key to good mental health, as it affects all aspects of your life at home, work and play. Join us at our Mental Health Summit May 12-14 in Kelowna to learn about the importance of culture from a variety of perspectives.

- The Influence of Cultural Norms & Labels on Mental Illness/Health- The Impact of Organizational Culture on Mental Illness/Health- The Role of Arts & Culture on Mental Illness/Health- Diverse Cultural Worldviews of Mental Illness/Health

Sign up for regular program updates at www.freshoutlookfoundation.org or www.twitter.com/freshoutlook

The Canadian Mental Health Association, CMHA National / ACSM National, and the BDC - Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC) recently co-released a report showing that entrepreneurs are facing notable mental health challenges.

Entitled 'Going it Alone: The mental health and well-being of Canada’s entrepreneurs,’ the report states that:- Nearly half of those surveyed say mental health issues interfere with their ability to work- Almost two thirds feel depressed at least once a week- More than one-third are stressed about adequately fulfilling their responsibilities at work and at home.

While almost 98 percent of Canada’s 1.2 million enterprises are classed as small or medium-sized businesses, the study concludes that little is known about the mental health impacts of being a businessperson and, therefore, “the health and well-being of entrepreneurs is a critical public health issue.”

Interim CMHA CEO, Fardous Hosseiny, says he wants the report to “start an open conversation and shift the popular view of entrepreneurs from ‘tireless innovator’ or ‘lone visionary’ to one that allows them to show their vulnerability and ask for help when needed. There needs to be more discussion about entrepreneur mental health and more attention paid to it by entrepreneur networks and organizations.”

It is often said that small business is the backbone of the Canadian economy and that when entrepreneurs succeed, so does Canada. Considering the importance of small and medium-sized businesses to the Canadian economy, the health and well-being of entrepreneurs is a critical public health issue. The...

As official ‘Connectors,’ Kasia and her amazing team at Oxygen Yoga & Fitness Kelowna will host a warm-up event in October to build awareness about the link between mind, body and spirit, and to raise money for our Mental Health Summit in Kelowna May 12-14, 2020.

The event will feature a presentation along with yoga/fitness classes, of which Kasia offers many. These include buti yoga, total body conditioning, fusion yoga and pilates, and deep stretch and relaxation… to name just a few!

All yoga classes are held in a studio with a FAR Infrared system that raises your body’s core temperature in a natural, comfortable way without blowing dry air or humidity. The benefits of this state-of-the-art technology include detoxification, weight loss, pain relief, and skin purification.

A Blanket Exercise, presented by KAIROS: Canadian Ecumenical Justice Initiatives, engages Indigenous and non-Indigenous Canadians to build awareness about their shared history. https://www.kairosblanketexercise.org/

KAIROS is contributing to a movement for reconciliation across the country. Reflecting major findings of the 1996 Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples, KAIROS literally walks participants through pre-contact, treat-making, colonization, and resistance scenarios.

Participants are drawn into their roles by reading scrolls and carrying cards which ultimately determine their outcomes. By engaging on intellectual and emotional levels, KAIROS touches both mind and heart… educating while building empathy.

KAIROS is one of three kick-off events at our Mental Health Summit the morning of May 12, 2020; it is available for paid delegates only. The other two events are free to the public and include Mental Health 101 (to build awareness about mental health issues, challenges, and opportunities) and a Mindfulness Workshop.

A community needs progressive leaders from all sectors, including business. In fact, some sustainability experts believe the private sector will be at the forefront of positive change moving forward.

These truths are engrained in the folks at CLAC, our latest sponsor for the HEADS UP! Community Mental Health Summit in Kelowna next May.

Built to reflect the European model of cooperative labour unions, CLAC represents 65,000 workers in Canada. BC member centres are located in Langley, Fort St. John, and Kelowna, and represent about 13,000 construction workers and more than 4,000 health care workers. https://www.clac.ca/

CLAC’s approach is truly modern. “We believe in cooperation, not confrontation. We work to make your workplace a better place—so that you and your coworkers can grow both as a workplace community and as individuals.

“It’s why we seek to balance individual and collective interests when we negotiate. It’s why we only strike as a last resort. It’s why we don’t tell our members where to work, or our signatory employers who they can hire. It’s why we don’t force anyone to join us, or fine them when they leave. It’s why we use your dues money to represent and support you—not politicians or political parties.”

CLAC programs and services also support the belief that workplace mental health is a huge indicator of how employees will ultimately show up at home and in their communities.

“We know that when people enjoy the work they do, when they feel rewarded and respected, when they want to be at work, then everyone benefits—workers, employers, families, and communities. That’s what we mean by everyday greatness!”

Thank you to Diversified Rehabilitation Group (DRG) for coming aboard as a sponsor of our HEADS UP! Community Mental Health Summit in Kelowna from May12-14, 2020 at the Laurel Packing House. https://diversifiedrehab.ca

Why the excitement? Because for 15 years DRG mental health specialists have pioneered innovative treatment initiatives within the company and for its external clients. For internal excellence, DRG was one of only three Canadian companies to receive Psychologically Healthy Workplace Honors from the American Psychological Association in 2017.

It received similar recognition in 2018, along with a Canadian Mental Health Workplace Excellence Award that same year. For its clients from across Canada and beyond, DRG has provided mental health and return-to-work treatment programs and services for individuals, employers, unions, law firms, and insurance companies.

In Kelowna, DRG also runs two in-patient mental treatment facilities; one for first responders, the other for people struggling with depression and/or anxiety.

For ongoing info about how DRG will be involved at our HEADS UP! Community Mental Health Summit, visit www.freshoutlookfoundation.org

Because “teachers are some of our most important leaders,” renowned social scientist and storyteller Brene Brown just released a free program developed for K-12 educators who are committed to building courage in and out of the classroom. https://brenebrown.com/daringclassrooms/

“We can’t always ask our students to take off the armor at home, or even on their way to school, because their emotional and physical safety may require self-protection. But what we can do, and what we are ethically called to do, is create a space in our schools and classrooms where all students can walk in and, for that day or hour, take off the crushing weight of their armor, hang it on a rack, and open their heart to truly being seen.

“We must be guardians of spaces that allow students to breathe, be curious, and to explore the world and be who they are without suffocation. They deserve one place where they can rumble with vulnerability and their hearts can exhale. And what I know from the research is that we should never underestimate the benefit to a child of having a place to belong—even one—where they can take off their armor. It can and often does change the trajectory of their life.”

Our Community Mental Health Summit in Kelowna May 12-14, 2020 will feature a session specifically for educators to explore student mental health and how to best share information and collaborate across the educational spectrum. www.freshoutlookfoundation.org

Teachers are some of our most important leaders. We can’t always ask our students to take off the armor at home, or even on their way to school ... but what we can do, and what we are ethically called to do, is create a space in our schools and classrooms...

All opinions matter, but some are more informative and inspiring than others! Case in point, the 'New Thought' column on Castanet written by Corinne Crockett.

She recently wrote about the H(ate)-Bombs detonated in the U.S. and Canada earlier this month, and how they are every bit as devasting as the H(ydrogen)-Bombs tested by the U.S. in the 1950s. Past columns are equally compelling.

Corinne’s reflections have impressed us so much at FOF that we’ve invited her to speak not once, but twice, at our Community Mental Health Summit next May 12-14 in Kelowna. She will lead a mindfulness workshop open to the public and participate in a session about seniors’ mental health and how older folks can move “From Ageing to Sageing,” as first described in a book of that name by Zalman Schachter-Shalomi and Ronald S. Miller. (A good read, by the way!)

From diverse experience and knowledge, personally and professionally, Corinne has developed an extraordinary passion for helping people to awaken, gain new perspectives, and recognize they don’t have to be slaves to their thoughts or their lives. “We are always at a point of change,” she says.

Corinne lives in Kelowna with her husband of 41 years, and can be reached at corinneacrockett@gmail.com.

Our HEADS UP! Community Mental Health Summit planned for next May in Kelowna will engage participants in vital conversations to help answer these compelling questions:

- What is the role of each sector in building mentally healthy communities (government, business, academia, nonprofits/philanthropy)? - How does mental illness/health impact a community’s social, cultural, environmental, and economic well-being?- What are the primary mental health challenges and opportunities for specific groups (children/youth, families, seniors, minority groups)? - What is the link between trauma and social challenges such as mental illness, homelessness, and addiction? - How can our mental health care systems be more responsive and proactive?

Stay tuned for more info about the program! www.freshoutlookfoundation.org.

A professor and senior scholar at the University of Victoria’s school of public health and social policy, Dr. Hancock explains in a recent Victoria Times Colonist column that the term ‘solastalgia’ was coined 15 years ago by Australian philosopher Glenn Albrecht. Albrecht believes we derive comfort and solace from our home environment, and that when that environment is altered (e.g., by natural disasters or human-caused wars, resource extraction, and urban development), the unease we feel “might be an expression of deep-seated solastalgia.”

Dr. Hancock explains that, “Contributing to the problem is both the speed and the scale of change; mostly, these events happen in a matter of minutes, hours or days, or at most over a few years. And increasingly, they happen at a large, even global scale.” Ultimately, they can impact personal and community identities and our sense of belonging and control, which can lead to hopelessness or despair.

And he wonders if solastalgia is contributing to what in the U.S. are called the ‘diseases of despair’ (i.e., death and disease due to alcohol, drug use, and suicide). ”I don’t think it is something people are necessarily conscious of, but surely the almost daily drumbeat of stories about how we are harming the Earth has an impact.”

For more fascinating stuff from Dr. Hancock, join us at our HEADS UP! Community Mental Health Summit in Kelowna next spring. www.freshoutlookfoundation.org.

Healthy Essentials Clinic in Lake Country is the brainchild of mental health pioneer Christina Camilleri. A one-stop-shop for individuals and families with mental health and substance use issues, the multidisciplinary clinic offers a range of services including psychiatric care for children and youth, emotion-focused family therapy, post-concussion rehabilitation, day treatment for disordered eating and eating disorders, and workshops featuring Brene Brown’s work on shame and vulnerability.

In 2015, researchers compared the brain activity of healthy people after they walked for 90 minutes in either a rural or urban setting. Those who walked in nature had reduced levels of anxiety and depression, and fewer repetitive negative thoughts. Calming nature sounds and outdoor silence lowered blood pressure and levels of the stress hormone cortisol, which calms the body’s fight-or-flight response.

But how much nature nurturing is enough? Dr. Strauss says, "Anything from 20 to 30 minutes, three days a week, to regular three-day weekends in the woods is helpful. The point is to make your interactions a part of your normal lifestyle." He adds that, “You can even try to combine your nature outings with your regular exercise by power walking or cycling outdoors.”

And where is best? "Focus on places you find the most pleasing," he says. "The goal is to get away from stimulating urban settings and surround yourself with a natural environment."

We’ll explore more about ecotherapy at our 2020 Community Mental Health Summit. www.freshoutlookfoundation.org

Our Twitter Posts

E-MENTAL HEALTH is the use of the Internet and other electronic communication technologies to deliver mental health information and care, particularly to hard-to-service areas. Learn more at https://t.co/bnxMX6CHfZand our Mental Health Summit next May.

‘TEAM BROUGHTON’ TAKES ON TRANSGENDER ISSUES at our Mental Health Summit next May. Meet Tor and his mom Carrie as they share their stories, insights and ideas about gender inclusivity and acceptance. https://t.co/S2FlMmGxjx

Anna Mehler Paperny, author of 'Hello I Want to Die Please Fix Me,' will share her story of depression and attempted suicide, along with the need for systemic healthcare change, at our HEADS UP! Community Mental Health Summit https://t.co/rNoe24HG86

WHY THE BUZZ? Because cross pollination of thoughts and passions is how great ideas grow. “The buzz” is the sound of genuine human engagement... it echoes the hum of communal reflection and innovation. Be the buzz at our Mental Health Summit https://t.co/5m9Z6d2lip

UNDERSTANDING ‘CULTURE’ is key to good mental health. Learn how it impacts your life at home, work and play at our Mental Health Summit May 12-14 in Kelowna. Sign up for program updates at https://t.co/5m9Z6cKJTP or https://t.co/QUL6FyaW8A

ENTREPRENEURS’ MENTAL HEALTH IS A CRITICAL ISSUE, says a report entitled ‘Going it Alone’ just released by CMHA and BDC. https://t.co/tgCjhpes7h. For more info about workplace mental health, join us at our Mental Health Summit next May in Kelowna.

OXYGEN YOGA & FITNESS KELOWNA is hosting an event in October to build awareness about the link between mind, body, and spirit, and to raise money for our Mental Health Summit in May. Stay tuned for dates and times! https://t.co/UhQJnWxLqs

KAIROS BLANKET EXERCISE @kairoscanada engages Indigenous and non-Indigenous Canadians to build awareness about their shared history. It’s one of three kick-off events at the Mental Health Summit, along with Mental Health 101 and a Mindfulness Workshop. https://t.co/5m9Z6cKJTP

WHY IS A LABOUR UNION SUPPORTING OUR MENTAL HEALTH SUMMIT? Modelled after European unions, CLAC strives for cooperation, not confrontation. It makes workplaces better for members so they can grow both in their business communities and as individuals. https://t.co/kTlISDLpT8

DIVERSIFIED REHABILITATION GROUPS JOINS THE SUMMIT TEAM! This award-winning group will share info about its acclaimed mental health and return-to-work programs at the Community Mental Health Summit next May. https://t.co/5m9Z6cKJTP

BRENE BROWN RELEASES FREE K-12 ‘DARING CLASSROOM’ PROGRAM for educators committed to building courage in the classroom. https://t.co/6mV1cboR7A Join us at the Mental Health Summit May 12-14 in Kelowna for more info. https://t.co/5m9Z6cKJTP

FOF'S FIRST CONFIRMED SUMMIT SPEAKER is Corinne Crockett, an adjunct UBCO nursing professor, ordained minister, mindfulness trainer, hospice volunteer, and Castanet columnist. She will lead a mindfulness workshop open to the public and then speak about seniors' mental health.